5 Benefits of Branded Packaging

When it comes to starting a business, brand packaging can often be an afterthought. However, branding is critical to the perception of your brand so focus should always be on the presentation of your product for maximum effectiveness.

When done right, packaging can be a perfect union of form and function. It can play a role in everything from marketing and brand differentiation to protection and ergonomics, and therefore should not be overlooked when delivering to market. In this article, we take a look at some of the key factors to why branding your packaging can lead to success.

1. Packaging sets you apart from the competition

You have 7 seconds to make a first impression. Since it takes multiple impressions to foster brand awareness, you need to create a strong, consistent visual identity to set yourself apart every time.

Branded packaging is an effective way of differentiating your product in an increasingly populated digital space. Companies that use standard stock shipping boxes or parcels run the risk of diminishing the impact of their product delivery compared to that of its competitors. A unified and high-quality brand helps create a unique and memorable experience for the customer which has an increased likelihood of leading to repeat business.

Having packaging that’s unique to your brand is a big advantage to help you wow your customer and stand out. Humans are visual creatures and appearances help us form first impressions. As a brand, you want to win over your customers and that starts with a strong visual identity. People have high standards for what constitutes great visual presentation, so it’s important to make sure your brand is perceived as adding value at every stage of interaction – from delivery and unboxing to product application.

Branded packaging is a great tool to establish a visceral product experience for the customer. It adds layers to the unboxing experience and gives the impression that the product inside is going to match the standard set by the quality of packaging.

Online Consumer Study

Studies conducted on how consumers respond to branded packaging concluded the following results:

• • 52% of online consumers say they’re more likely to repeat purchase from a brand delivering orders in premium packaging.
  • 71% of online consumers say they expect higher quality packaging when ordering expensive products online.
  • 83% of consumers say they are likely to share an image of high-quality packaging on social media.
  • 50% of consumers say that branded packaging makes them more likely to recommend the brand to their friends.
  • 61% of consumers say that branded packaging makes them more excited about receiving the product.

2. Packaging is a marketing tool

Catching a customer’s eye is the first step in getting them to purchase a newly discovered product. This is particularly important in retail and online ecommerce settings, where items must stand out amongst the competition.

An additional benefit of quality packaging design is that it can be represented in a digital format. Branded and personalised packaging serves as social bait, and increases content creation in the form of videos, product hauls, stories and tweet. User-generated content is a valuable marketing asset that helps you spread the word and expand your consumer base. Think about the people who watch those unboxing videos — customers trust content from people they know or follow. After seeing someone else unwrap a high-quality product in beautiful packaging, 79% of them will check it out for themselves.

Consumers are 61% more likely to buy from companies that deliver unique content, so your packaging is a part of your marketing toolkit. Video and social marketing are essential, especially for small businesses and product launches. People prefer watching videos and are more likely to purchase a product after watching branded ones. With custom packaging, your content will look more appealing and leave a longer-lasting impression.

3. Packaging establishes brand identity and values

People prefer brands that share their values — consumers express more loyalty to brands that cater to their priorities and beliefs. Your packaging is one of the best ways to let your customers know what you’re about before they even open the box. Consider who shops for your products and what they want to see, then proudly display it on the exterior.

There should be a uniformity to the presentation of your brand identity with elements like colour themes, logo presentation and visual style. Colour in particular can create a powerful impression, “increasing brand recognition by up to 80 percent,” according to a University study. An identifiable brand is generally a more profitable one, and by some estimates, consistent branding can increase your revenue by 10-20%.

Think about the mission, values, and personality behind your brand and how you can bring that into your packaging. Adding your logo and consistent colour theme is a good start, but there are tons of other elements to include!

Top tips to create the best packaging design:

1. Keep packaging eye-catching so that it immediately stands out and is remembered by the customer.
2. Remember, your choice of packaging is an extension of your brand and needs to prompt an emotion
3. Make sure packaging is durable so that it secures merchandise and protects the product inside
4. Finally, it needs to be easy to open. This may sound simple but can often be a major frustration for customers.

4. Packaging provides protection and functionality

Packaging’s primary function is to ensure your products safely reach their destination. A bespoke packaging design can provide internal custom solutions to safeguard any fragile, sensitive or hazardous items. Personalised packaging will match your specific needs both internally and externally, creating a polished, unique look throughout.

Packaging must be also functional – aesthetic appeal can’t compensate for the packaging failing to protect products in stores/transit, or being difficult for the consumer to use.

Consider the extent to which your packaging needs to be sturdy, shock-absorbent, tamper-proof, yet easy-to-use. Packaging can provide protection in a variety of ways, such as incorporating void fillers or custom box inserts, using corrugated cardboard, having adhesive strips, and so on.

5. Packaging communicates key information

In addition to strengthening brand image and being creative, packaging should present pertinent information clearly, such as the purpose of the product, why it’s worth buying, and what it contains. The materials you use to make your packaging and the add-ons such as embossing and customer inserts convey the effort put into designing your packaging which gives your brand an upscale feel.

Ideally, packaging should be informative without sacrificing its visual appeal. Businesses can also print details on their sustainable packaging directly on the front, which helps promote the brands sustainability and commitment to their environmental policy. According to a 2021 study by Swiftpak, 74% of consumers indicated they would actually pay a higher amount for products that were contained within environmentally safe and sustainable packaging. This demonstrates the importance of sustainability to consumers and the impact eco-friendly packaging can potentially have on sales and revenue.